Christmas Odyssey
by spacegypsy1
Summary: Unending Missing scene Christmas What’s in the red box Daniel gave Vala? SPOILER WARNING: UNENDING SPOILERS!


Spacegypsy1

Missing Scene Unending-

Romance

Synopsis: Unending - Missing scene - Christmas - What's in the red box Daniel gave Vala? SPOILER - WARNING: UNENDING SPOILERS!!

xxxxxx

Standing at the foot of the bed, hands on hips, faced screwed into an ominous half pout, half sneer, Vala yelled, "DANIEL!"

He came out of a dead sleep, straight up out of the bed, landing on his feet, looking around for whatever evil-doer had attacked.

He spotted her. "What!? You scared the hell out of me!" He squinted at the watch laying on the bedside table, unable to read it, squinted out the window of his cell like room aboard the Odyssey and then squinted back at Vala.

The blurry figure of Vala now held his glasses and she spun them around by one arm. It was the third pair Sam had replicated since they'd been trapped on this god awful ship. He hiked up the waist of his pajama pants, grabbed his T-shirt and slipped it on, then saved the glasses from imminent doom.

Slamming the glasses in place he opened his mouth to speak.

"If you say I'm nuts I'll strangle you!" Vala sat at his desk and one leg jerked up and down in agitation.

Daniel knew that sign.

"I'm bored Daniel, bored, bored, bored."

"What time is it?"

"Bored thirty." She whined.

Picking up his watch from the bedside table he studied it in exasperation. Rolling his head dramatically he spoke slowly, "It's almost two A.M. Vala, you're nu..."

Raising both eyebrows her expression dared him. "What difference could it possibly make what time it is? There is no time in our fun little world. I haven't seen you in days, you being cooped up in your awful little room of Asgard words. You've barely said hello, much less kiss me! That's all I have, Daniel," she hugged her shoulders gloomily, "you, and helping Sam. She's about as much fun as pruning Landry's plants. Mitchell runs and fights Teal'c and Teal'c meditates and fights Mitchell. I need a new word, because wonko, wacky, nuts and crazy don't even begin to help anymore. Daniel, plleeeaassee let's do something."

Eyes at half mast in sleepiness, Daniel managed a little grin. He placed his hand at her neck, his thumb rubbing gently at her ear and bent to kiss her.

She slapped his hand away, "Not that… well, not now. Some Thing. I want to do some thing." She came out of the chair, brushing past him, pacing the room now.

"I tried to teach you Asgard." He had his hands on his hips, slightly irritable from lack of sleep.

"Ha! Well that proved to be more fun than I could possibly bear." She paced, back and forth, turning with precision at each end of the small room.

Pulling his glasses from his face he rubbed his eyes, sighed despondently. He watched her pace. What the hell else could he do? Laying his glasses on the chest of drawers, he sighed again. He didn't need to see her clearly. She was in high 'Vala' mode and he was her captive. No where to go, no escape. He better come up with something or he'd find himself in the jettison tube for sure.

He let her rant, tuning her out. Finally he put his glasses back on and stared out the window at the same stars he'd stared at for over the past few months. He started counting them. Again.

"What's this?" The ranting stopped, Vala held a calendar in her hand.

Daniel turned. "It's a calendar, Vala, you've seen one before."

"Tsck! Don't get snippy. What are all the little X's?"

"I found it in the mess hall. It belongs, I believe, to Lt. Chapman, who apparently was marking off the days until her Christmas wedding. I liked the photographs and thought I might hang one or two." He paused only a moment, "I thought you'd like them."

She smiled at him before thumbing through the calendar. "What's the earth date today?"

He took the calendar from her and studied it. "December 21st." And suddenly he knew what she could do that would keep her occupied.

"Oh, it's almost your Christmas time! I love Christmas!" Vala perked up, pulled her fists to her chest and grinned her wide mouth, toothy grin.

"Then we should decorate. You know, get lights and a tree. Plan a Christmas dinner." She looked so adorable he couldn't imagine why he'd wasted all those years fighting his feelings for her.

Her eyes lit up like the Christmas tree he spoke of. "Wonderful! Oh, that would be so much fun. Let's get Sam to replicate, she's been teaching me, but so far all I've managed to accomplish was a rather sad little bowl." She shook her head at the memory, "I'll go get her, meet us in the lab!"

Daniel caught her arm before she could run out, "Sam's asleep, it's two A.M."

"Sam's not asleep, I just saw her and I've told you before, it's only hours or days or whatever after we left earth, you seem to be the only one who still keeps up with what time it is."

Looking at his watch again, once more he sighed. "Fine." He was condemned anyway, no sleep for Dr. Jackson, he had no idea how long they would be trapped here, but surely at some point he would get some sleep.

xxxxxx

Sam was delighted with the idea and started working at the console immediately, Vala close beside her, leaning over her shoulder.

Thor's hologram popped into view, "Oops, wrong crystal." Sam laughed and shut it down.

Daniel, still sleep deprived, sat at a desk head in hands watching. A Christmas tree appeared beside him, leaned unsteadily for a second and toppled over onto him. One hand continued to hold his head up while the other one pushed the tree aside. "Too small." He yawned.

"Right!" Both Sam and Vala said together.

"Hey guys, what's goin' on?" Mitchell leaned, arms crossed, against the door frame.

_It's two o'clock in the morning, does no body get that? _Daniel yawned again.

Turning with a wondrous smile, Vala answered excitedly, "Making a Christmas tree."

"And lights," Sam added not looking up.

"Don't forget the shiny balls for the tree." Daniel mumbled.

"And a wreath, for the door." Cam added coming fully into the room.

Sam adjusted the equipment and a new, bigger tree appeared. Daniel pulled back away from it. "Don't worry," Sam said, "I put a stand on it this time."

"Oh, perfect!" Vala inspected the tree.

"Oh, not perfect, wait." Sam readjusted the parameters and a new tree appeared already decorated.

"Nope." Cam took a long look at the newest manifestation and shook his head. "That takes all the fun out of decorating."

"Right!" Sam began again.

Mitchell walked over to the console to put in his requests for tree items and Daniel nodded off in a cat nap.

xxxxxx

"DanielJackson?" Daniel's head whipped up, eyes wide and blinking at Teal'c who held a cup of coffee under Daniel's nose.

"Oh, **thank you**." Daniel took the cup holding it lovingly. Scanning the room he wondered how long he'd dozed off. Teal'c and General Landry were untangling strings of lights, while Mitchell and Vala sat on the floor separating the tree decorations by color and size. Sam was humming 'We Wish You a Merry Christmas' and apparently cataloging the menagerie of other Christmas decorations that filled the room. Daniel checked his watch. 0300, hmmm, almost an hour's sleep, what more could he ask for?

"Now then." Sam looked around the room. "We need to menu plan, so everybody has to decide what they want."

"Cajun fried turkey." Cam smacked his lips while dangling two huge red Christmas balls at Vala's ears. "Looks good, you should wear them." Vala laughed at his antics.

"Sweet potato pie." The general said with a decidedly wistful sigh.

Sam started jotting it all down.

"Red and green jell-o." Teal'c put in.

Vala bit at her lip in thought. "Cranberry sauce? No, ahmmm, green bean casserole. Oh, Oh, I've got it! Mashed potatoes and gravy. Yes, that's it… or Chocolate meringue pie."

"I think hot yeast rolls with real butter." Sam sighed. "What about you Daniel, what do want to eat?"

"Coffee cake." He answered and everyone burst out laughing.

xxxxxx

Vala kept busy the next few days decorating the mess hall with anyone who would take the time to help. Not once had she said 'Daniel, I'm bored', and he'd missed that, but not in a million, million years would he tell her.

It was Christmas Eve morning and just the two of them were stringing white lights around the mess hall. Vala up on a small ladder; Daniel holding her hips. When the last string was in place she turned in his hands, grinned and wrapping her legs around his waist she moved into his arms. Her head nestled into the crook of his neck and she kissed his skin. He hugged her tight, turning his face to rest against hers.

Mitchell cleared his throat, closed his eyes and shook his head. Daniel put her down and they both laughed at Mitchell's unease.

"Okay, you two, are we finished here?"

"Are you speaking of the decorations, Cameron?" Vala teased.

He only shook his head.

"Yes, we're finished." Daniel grinned at Mitchell. "Sorry. Vala could use your help though with hanging the wreath. I've got things to do. You know - translations."

"Come on Cam, we'll do the finishing touches, except for hanging the star on top. We'll all do that tomorrow night before Christmas dinner!" Her gaze followed Daniel until he disappeared out the door.

xxxxxx

Daniel walked into the lab and spotted Sam staring blankly out the window. "Sam, you okay?"

She turned with a weak smile. "Fine. It's just so damned frustrating."

"I have faith in you. You'll figure it out."

She didn't look as though she believed him but she smiled anyway, "What's up, you need something?"

"Yes. I need a favor." Hands deep in his pockets, Daniel looked at his feet a minute than back at Sam with a slight blush.

About three hours later Vala bounded into the room, "SAM!"

Flinching in surprise Sam turned from her console. "Vala, you have got to stop scaring me like that."

"Sorry. It's Christmas Eve; you need to take today and tomorrow off… it's not like you don't have the time. Anyway, I need a favor."

Two hours later Cam appeared at her door. "Hi, Cam," Sam grinned, "Need a favor?"

"Nope, just need a little mistletoe."

xxxxxx

"Nice hat Colonel." Landry grinned at Mitchell's Santa hat.

Dinner finished, the six of them still sat around the table, drinking wine and exchanging little gifts. Christmas music played in the background, and the tree was aglow with lights and twinkling decorations.

Vala pushed her plate back and moved to sit on Daniel's lap and Daniel handed her a red box. Vala's eyes lit up in happiness.

Mitchell took his mistletoe and leaned across the table holding it over Sam's head, kissing her. Then turned and did the same to Vala.

Vala looked up grinning accepting his kiss before returning her attention to the red box. Everyone at the table waited, watching her. Vala dug through the tissue paper; her hand stilled, eyes misted and she looked at Daniel in utter astonishment.

Sam couldn't take her eyes off of Daniel as he watched Vala expectantly. Their archeologist was a very private person and she had been shocked when he handed that box to Vala right here in front of them all.

Vala pulled the bracelets from the box. A matching pair. Daniel took one and slapped it on Vala's wrist. Hand slightly trembling she slapped the other one on his. Everyone except Mitchell got the symbolism.

"Holy Jesus, Mary and Joseph! Are those things real?" Mitchell came out of his chair. He looked at Sam, who scowled. "Nevermind," he said settling back down.

"They appear to be replicas of the Kor Mak bracelets." Teal'c bowed his head to Daniel and then to Vala.

"Yeah, the ones that almost killed you two. Bound you together for… oh, I get it." Mitchell actually blushed and both Sam and General Landry laughed.

Vala kissed him right on the lips, reached under the table and handed him a green box and whispered, "Merry Christmas darling."

His eyebrows furrowed, but he smiled and opened the box. His face softened, and he stared into the box blinking the slight stinging from behind his eyes. From the box Daniel pulled out the toy replica of the Prometheus, the name engraved across its bow followed by the date Vala had boarded the ship. He wrapped an arm around her back and smiled. "Merry Christmas, sweetheart." He whispered.

--END


End file.
